ACS

ACS has welcomed the Prime Minister’s refusal to introduce a minimum unit price for alcohol. Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson had called upon the Government to adopt the measure in a bid to tackle alcohol related harm. He suggested a 50p minimum unit price for alcohol sold from the off-trade, rising to £1 per unit for alcohol sold in the on-trade.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that he will not implement the minimum pricing proposals. At a Downing Street press conference today (Monday) he said that: "We don't want the responsible, sensible majority of moderate drinkers to have to pay more or suffer as a result of the excesses of a minority."

ACS has submitted evidence to the Health Select Committee inquiry into Alcohol highlighting the negative impact pricing restrictions would have for convenience stores. Instead we have argued for greater implementation of existing laws.

Currently legislation is progressing through Parliament in the Policing and Crime Bill which would introduce a set of mandatory conditions for alcohol licences. Some of these conditions could prohibit various price and promotional mechanics.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “We are pleased that the Prime Minister has rejected the Chief Medical Officer’s suggestion. In our submission to the Health Select Committee Inquiry into alcohol we have highlighted the difficulties of introducing restrictions on alcohol price. Such policies are a blunt tool which would penalise responsible retailers and consumers alike, without effectively targeting the minority of drinkers who cause alcohol related harm. Instead there needs to be more focused approach on problem drinkers, such as greater prosecutions of adults who proxy purchase alcohol for those underage.”